Graduate transfer guard Jahaad Proctor scored a team-high 26 points Wednesday in his debut, and junior center Matt Haarms added 16 points and a career-high seven blocked shots, lifting host No. 23 Purdue to a 79-57 win over Green Bay in West Lafayette, Ind., in the season opener for each team.

Sophomore point guard Eric Hunter Jr. added 15 points and six assists as the Boilermakers pulled away in the second half.

Proctor, who averaged 19.4 points per game last season at High Point University in North Carolina, did most of his damage going to the basket, finishing 11 of 17 from the floor and 1 of 3 from 3-point range.

Purdue began the night raising the banner for its 24th Big Ten championship in 2018-19. The Boilermakers were co-Big Ten regular season champions with Michigan State last season, going 16-4 in league play before reaching the Elite Eight for the first time since 1999-2000.

With three new starters, the Boilermakers began 6 of 9 from the field to build a 14-2 lead about six minutes into the game. Purdue forced six turnovers during the stretch. Haarms scored seven of Purdue's first 14 points on a 3-pointer, dunk and inside hook shot.

Sophomore forward Aaron Wheeler put the Boilermakers up 31-16 with a 3-pointer, then Proctor gave them their biggest lead of the half, 35-18, on a driving layup with 1:44 remaining. Back to back baskets by Green Bay's Amari Davis and JayQuan McCloud cut Purdue's lead to 35-22 at halftime.

Purdue turned the ball over nine times in the first half but forced 10 Green Bay turnovers.

Kameron Hankerson led the Phoenix with 14 points, with McCloud and Davis finishing with 10 each.

Purdue junior Nojel Eastern, a preseason All-Big Ten selection, injured his left wrist twice during the game. After the second injury, Eastern left at close to the five-minute mark in the second half and did not return. Eastern finished with six points, three steals and two rebounds.

--Field Level Media